The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-08-05
OPEN LETTER NO. ?.

DEAR BRETHREN AND FRIENDS -
1t again becomes my painful duty
to appear before you in vindication
of certain statements made in my
Open Letter published last winter
about the acton of Turkey Branch
church and its pastor. | write this
with the firm belief that the best
way to build up a church, pure and
undefiled, is TO expose its errors, and
wrong dolngs so that others may see
there by compelling them reform. l
have endeavored as far as lieth in
me to keep personal feelings out of
this controversy. If you should
think that | have not, then
please remember that this Old Adam
Nature is very hard TO CONTROL in
such cases; and pray for me. In re-
gard to the resolutions said to have
been passed by the church | shall
have but little to say, as they have
been publicly declared TO be false
by Bro Daniel in the DEMOCRAT Of
June 3rd and contradiction challeng
ed which no one has dared to meet.
AS to Mr.. Kivitte whom it is said
drew up the resolution, | will say
but little and that little with prayer.
| have heard those who are best &C
Quainted with him say that they
believed that Judas was perfect
angel to him, For further inform.
alton [ refet you by permission to
DR.. |. T. Bellamey, of Enfield with
whom he lived and done business for
several years and to Mr. S. II. Eure
who left a bale of cotton IN Mr..
kivitte's possession and has never
seen it since, and to statements
made in church conference about
THIS cotton and about grinding corn
on Sunday, refer You to members
of the church and to church records
[ invite you to see the above named
gentlemen and learn from them the
facts in the case. Mr., @. T. Saund-
ers is the same man that | alluded
to in my first letter going to Ring
wood gambling: for incorrect states
mcnts made in church conference |
refer you to James Boon, Sr., and
samuel Taylor both members of the
same church.
There is one statement made in
the resolution that | will notice
briefly viz: The church records shoN
that fellowship was Withdrawn from
Bro Thrower at the September meet
ing and the action Of the church dp-
proceed Of ct the neat conference
meeting by q rising cote Of the largest
meeting Of members ever held IN tie
ch1uch' refer you to my first letter
tor the answer to the first part of
this quotation it is the last part tlat
| wish to notice. Bro W. D. Saund-
ers was kind enough to shO@ me the
records and there was not one word
on them to show that the action ever
has been approved by the church. |
called Bro Saunders attention to
THIS and he remarked. "that they
ought to nave been alike" Bro
Boon informed me that there was
but seven or eight members present
at the next conference" alluded to.
Just such statements as this seems
to be the " Loyalty to Christ" that
they boast OF. May the good Lord
have mercy on all such. | hope no
one will understand me as saying
one word about Bro Duke :the church
and Mr.. Wilcox are trying to hide
the whole affair behind his good
name. | learn from good authority
that he SAID that he was sorry that
he ever came to Turkey Branch at
all. In letter to me he says LAS
to my being moderator does not say
that l approved or dlsapproved of
what the conference did, | have
the utmost confidence and love for
Bro Duke lut at the same time |
cannot let NJ. Wilcox and Turkey
Branch church hide their wrong do
ing ehind his pure Christian name,
AS Mr.. Wilcox has verbally denied
the statements that | made IN my
first letter and "says they are I'M
truths" | will give the certificates
that is in my possession and you can